Dolphins QB Tom Brandstater still struggling to cope with death of former teammate Marcus McKinley

The tragic suicide of Broncos receiver Marcus McKinley in September was chalked up at the time to depression stemming from a knee injury that would have forced him to miss the entire season and perhaps put his career in jeopardy.

But McKinley had a gambling problem and was deeply in debt when he killed himself with a gunshot wound to the head on Sept. 21, investigators told the Associated Press yesterday.

McKinley apparently owed more than $40,000 in casino markers in Las Vegas, but was also heavily in debt to current Dolphins practice squad quarterback Tom Brandstater, who was McKinley’s teammate last year in Denver and lent him $65,000.

“Kenny was a friend in need, and I would do anything for him, as he would have done for me,” Brandstater told the AP.

Thursday, Brandstater spoke briefly about his friendship with McKinley in the Dolphins’ locker room, but he is still very much shaken by the tragedy.

“Any time you lose a friend like that, it’s always tough,” said Brandstater, a 2009 sixth-round pick out of Fresno State who was signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad two weeks ago. “This has been hard on me. I miss my friend. … He was a great guy, friendly, and a person I miss a lot.”

“He was as close of a friend as you can get. I miss him every day. I think about him every day.”

More from the AP story on the investigation:

Brandstater told investigators that McKinley had a “major gambling problem” and that he told him that he owed $40,000 in Las Vegas. He said the two of them had dinner for 10 straight nights in May trying to “hash out ways to fix it.”

Brandstater told investigators he eventually lent McKinley $65,000 and that he nearly emptied his bank accounts to help out his friend. McKinley was supposed to send Brandstater $7,500 from each paycheck but hadn’t paid back any of the money, Brandstater said.

Brandstater said he trusted McKinley to repay him but that his financial adviser insisted that a contract be drawn up and that a copy be given to the Broncos. Part of the pact included McKinley providing the title to his two vehicles as collateral. He said McKinley also gave him two watches, a Breitling and a Gucci valued together at $30,000, as well as a gold necklace to hold as collateral.

Brandstater said he returned the necklace to McKinley, who sold it for $6,000. Brandstater told investigators he told McKinley to keep that money because he was in such dire financial straits.

Brandstater told investigators that about a week before he lent him the money, McKinley said “that he could save everyone the burden and just kill himself.”

Brandstater told the AP that McKinley quickly assured him he wasn’t serious about committing suicide.